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Using assistive technology to increase productivity

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

When Gaylord
experienced retinal detachment as a result of his diabetes, his life changed.
Suddenly the vision in his right eye deteriorated and there was little
that surgeries or medications could do to prevent this. A deterioration in his
left eye followed and this gave him no choice but to change his career path as
an electrician. A job he loved for its hands on and practical nature. Thinking
outside the box, Gaylord saw a connection between becoming a mortgage broker
and his previous trade and had the courage and determination to pursue this
idea. In this new position Gaylord provides a valuable service to his clients,
with the added bonus of expertise both in mortgages and with his background in
trades in the building industry too. But what of his vision?With his new visual impairment, Gaylord was struggling to read and fill in forms, and get through the paperwork required to provide the best and most efficient service for his clients and to run his own business.“Filling in the forms that usually would take an hour, took me half a day or even more. I just couldn’t see and I had no help. I decided enough was enough and contacted my local MLA Alana DeLong to see if anyone could help me. And that’s when I found Champions.”With the help of Lori James, Champions’ Client Services manager, Gaylord was able to find the help he needed. Lori helped Gaylord to apply for Disability Related Employment Supports (DRES) funding. DRES is a provincial government program which provides assistance to people with disabilities, and to employers, to help make the workplace more accessible. Modifications may include specialized software, workstation modifications, accessible work areas and washrooms, or ASL interpreters. In Gaylord’s case he needed assistive technology.

On the
service he received from Champions Gaylord commented, “Lori was
just great, anytime we needed anything or had any questions, she was there like
a dirty shirt, she was really excellent.”

Lori
assisted Gaylord in his DRES application, guiding him through the paperwork,
communication with Alberta Human Services and the requirements including
letters of support and medical documentation. As for
Gaylord, he’s the proud new owner of a Merlin 24” HD and a Compact HD7 electronic magnifier which
is a portable device he can take when visiting clients.

Now that
Gaylord has been able to get back into the workforce, his productivity has
increased by 60%. His new assistive technology enables him to see more clients
which, in a commission based job, has led to more security.Outside of work Gaylord and his wife are
happier and more at ease. The anger and frustration as a result of his vision
loss and the resulting barriers he faced at work are no longer there. He’s
proud to be helping people with their housing decisions and is proud of himself
for being pro-active and breaking through his personal barriers.

2 Comments:

I'm glad that he found a way around his vision problem. But I wonder, why did his vision deteriorated, is it AMD? I had the similar problem before, my vision just went dark. I was immediately rushed to Arizona Retinal Center and there I was told that it's because of eye strain cause by long hours in front of the computer. Thankfully, I was diagnosed early and any further infection was avoided.